Agronomic practices for Musa across different agro-ecological zones in Burundi, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.

Abstract

Abstract The Great Lakes countries of East and Central Africa, including Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) are a secondary centre of Musa diversity, especially for East African highland bananas (Musa AAA-EA group) and plantains (ABB). Musa cultivation in this region is characterized by low annual productions (5-30 t/ha). This is caused by biotic (pests and diseases) and abiotic (soil fertility and drought) factors. The impacts of these factors are, however, influenced by the different agronomic practices that are applied on farm. This study assessed the use of some key agronomic practices by Musa farmers across districts of Rwanda and Burundi, and the South and North Kivu provinces of eastern DR Congo. Farms in North Kivu were less intensively managed than those in Burundi, Rwanda and South Kivu. For example, farms in North Kivu were the least de-trashed (removal of dead leaves from the pseudostem, 66%) and de-suckered (63%) compared with 88% and 100% in Burundi, 93% and 99% in Rwanda and 89% and 100% in South Kivu, respectively. Agronomic practices such as seed selection and source, pseudostem splitting for mulch and weeding (mainly using the hand hoe) were similarly practised across the study sites. Suckers obtained from neighbourhood (76-100%) and own fields (0-39%) were the only source of planting material used by farmers at the time of this study. This has negative implications for the management of key plant pests and diseases. The use of hand hoes for weeding, though helpful for intercropping, could perpetuate the spread of Xanthomonas wilt disease, which is currently prevalent on farms. De-budding was practised more in Burundi (98%) and South Kivu (96%) than in Rwanda (52%) and North Kivu (62%), although more farmers in South Kivu (68%, compared with <20% in other sites) de-budded on time (3 weeks after flowering, after appearance of the last hand). Agroforestry and fallowing, which are helpful for revitalizing soil fertility, were not popular in Burundi or Rwanda, possibly due to the high population density in these sites. Fallowing could also be obsolete because most farms in this region are over 50 years old. The study revealed the need to strengthen the extension of knowledge to farmers, especially in North Kivu where the farms are not intensively managed. Some of the recommended agronomic practices, such as de-trashing, de-suckering, de-budding and weeding need to be revised in the light of new emerging challenges, especially diseases such as Xanthomonas wilt, and high population density.